maryssa

Check out Depression Free for Life by Gabriel Cousens. I just read it, as mental illness runs majorly in my family. One thing that really helped me was St. John's Wort, but I have more of a dysthymia - chronic low-grade depression. In his book, Dr. Cousens talks about the many factors that contribute to depression, and how most of it has a basis in nutritional deficiency. It can help you self-diagnose and figure out what supplements and eating plan would best help you. Getting out of depression is a process though, and you may need a multi-pronged approach: seeing a naturopath, a therapist, doing yoga, practising visualization, meditation, nutrition, supplementation, etc. Most important - don't cut yourself off from your support networks! Force yourself to hang out with your friends or family even if you don't feel like it. I tend to withdraw when I'm depressed but that only feeds the depression.

It won't happen overnight, but keep taking care of yourself and you'll get there!